Home object workouts

When you’re juggling a busy home life it can be hard to find time to get active.

The good news is you don’t need a gym membership to get your sweat on – you can turn your home into your very own gym!

Why is it good for me?

Bodyweight exercises such as press ups, dips and wall sits are great for building strength and endurance in the chest, shoulders, core and legs.

We need a strong core for so much of everyday life and is great for aligning our bodies and preventing back injuries. A strong midriff helps with balance and stability, whether that’s whilst exercising or simply walking down the road, climbing stairs and lifting children – so it’s worth working on!

Incline press ups put less stress on your elbows and reduce the amount of weight you’re lifting so are a great way to build up to full press ups, and Russian twists are a good workout for the whole abdomen engaging all of your core muscles.

How much does it cost?

All of these activities can be done for free, and are great to do while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or watching TV, saving money and time!

There are plenty of objects already around the home such as tables, chairs, bottles and even walls that can double up as strength or cardio equipment.

Try some of these simple exercises around the home:

Chair tricep dips – Sit on the edge of a chair holding onto the front with your hands. Place your feet out in front of you (bent legs for easier option or straight legs to make it harder) and lower your elbows to a 90-degree angle before pushing back up.

Table top press ups – Incline press ups can be done anywhere around the home – on a table, a bed, a chair or even a wall. To use a table, place your hands on the table with your legs stretched out behind you, body nice and straight. Lower your weight down keeping your elbows tight to your body, and press back up.

Living room wall sits – find a wall with a big enough space for you to lean on. Sit against the wall like you would in a chair with your legs at 90 degrees, and hold. Give it time and you’ll soon feel the burn!

Milk bottle Russian twists – Sit on the floor holding a milk bottle (or any bottle with liquid in). Lean back with a straight back and engage your core. Rotate your torso and try to touch the floor each side with the milk bottle. Make it harder by lifting your feet off the floor.

Check out this video from Active Sussex featuring Tess (and her cats!) showing how you can get active at home.